Paranoia
by oyasumikoneko666
Summary: Membrane feels observed...Membranecentric, future ZAMR, VERY psychological fic, I mean it .Don't own a thing. c JV.
1. Overseer

AN: Characters in general can be quite OOC, as normal in my stories since they normally tend to revolve around a single one of them. Enjoy!! 

_**Chapter One: Overseer**_

Membrane's eyes snapped open all of a sudden, he realized he was grabbing fistfuls of the sheets a bit too tightly and quickly let go, he tried to control his ragged breathing, not being able to completely wash away the dreadful sensation of being observed…he deadpanned at his own thoughts, someone…watching him? Watching professor Membrane!? Why would anyone want to do such a thing? It wasn't as if his life was THAT interesting…at least not in his house, maybe in his labs…but definitely not in his house. Or at least that's what Membrane thought…anyhow, he got off the bed and headed for the bathroom, he wanted to take a shower quickly and try the shake off that horrible sensation…

Through the bathroom's window he could see it was a cold, drizzly morning, there were a lot of puddles in the street; maybe it'd been raining the whole night…

Membrane got to the labs complex relatively fast that morning, he felt like he was being followed and he couldn't say he was THAT fond of the idea or the sensation altogether…Membrane walked down the corridors quickly, greeting some fellow scientists as he passed by, he took the elevator, pushing the button for the 7th floor frantically until it began to go up and he was so thankful that he was completely alone inside it…otherwise he would've had to explain something he couldn't fully understand himself…and that in itself, made him a little wary…

When the elevator's doors opened…

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!! Wait! Son?? What are you doing here?? Shouldn't you be in class??"

Membrane begun to walk away from the corner he'd pressed himself into, slowly calming down and trying to look at least upset at Dib for missing school…but it came out as a completely pitiful failure…Dib sighed…shaking his head…

"Dad…it's Saturday…"

Membrane's eye twitched behind his goggles…

"Then why are you here son? I trust it doesn't have anything to do with you little foreign friend??"

Dib rolled his eyes, it had been funny how his father addressed Zim the first time, but now it was only boring and somewhat offending, he walked past Membrane and into the elevator…

"Yes…it does have to do with Zim dad…"

Membrane shook his head lightly, in disappointment, as he always did; apparently Dib wasn't seeing the gleam of REAL SCIENCE anytime soon…

"I won't disturb you any longer then…"

The elevator's doors closed and Membrane walked quickly to his personal lab, far in the back of that floor…when he was safely inside, he finally said it:

"My poor insane son…"

A voice in the back of his mind seemed to whisper…

'Is he really the insane one right now?'

Membrane shuddered at the idea, losing his mind one of his most profound fears…when his mind descended from its paranoid high, he set himself to work, getting near to the work table and pulling down some tools, and very vaguely, he wondered what could Dib have been doing in the labs compound after all?

But as soon as it begun, he stopped that train of thought, knowing he wouldn't like the answer…at all…

Reddish eyes watched intently as the tall human walked from one side to the other of the inferior earthly lab, a claw-like finger twirled and played with an antenna and the serpentine tongue licked the thin lips rather slowly…soon, very soon…now that he thought about it, the fact that the human was taller made him all the more attractive and it made a vicious grin spread through the green features of his overseer…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

So, should I continue this...pointless rambling??


	2. Urges

**AN: here's the second chapter, it was about 5 a.m. when I finished this, the next day I tried to fix most of the mistakes and make some changes...hope it helped...  
**

**WARNING: the description in this chapter can get a bit tiresome...  
well, without further ado, enjoy!**_**  
**_

_**-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. **_

_**Chapter Two: Urges.**_

It'd been three days already, and Membrane kept waking up in a messy heap of sweaty limbs and sheets…and hair, if he'd had enough…it was always the same kind of dream, the dream in which the dreadful sensation of having someone watch your every move materializes as an overwhelmingly dark, ghastly shadow, embracing and touching your soul, binding itself to it, and never letting go…its purpose is to control, to possess, and suddenly Membrane felt oh so very raped by the sheer contact with something so primal, and so basic for an ego…

This was nothing like real science, it was too abstract and imperfect…it made him feel warm all over and made something inside him swell with delight…a fire beginning to burn him, if he wasn't careful, he would be consumed, but…

He liked it, this twisted and possessive need…all for him…he wanted to see what his ashes would turn into…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Zim was sitting in class as always, it would be long before he could go home and continue with his experiments on the human mind, even if he'd found they were easier during the night, when they were asleep…such a basic need…Irkens had disposed of so long ago…it made then vulnerable…and it was just too perfect that humans had kept it, it made his 'hunting' easier…

And there were the suppressed urges and needs, such good levers…they were hidden in the dankest corners of the subconscious, always repressed and tampered by the sick and troublesome consciousness' moral…and when they were unleashed, they brought oh so much pleasure with them…and no one, could escape from them…not even the man without whom this world falls into chaos…Zim would drive him crazy…he really wanted to make him let go of all he held dear…his precious mind…but the time hadn't come, just…not yet…

Dib was watching Zim, like always, trying to think of a new way to discover the machinations he had in store this time for Earth's destruction, but if he'd been able to know what Zim was thinking in that very moment, he wouldn't have liked it too much…and it kind of puzzled him that the alien didn't seem to 'be' there…he hadn't even noticed when the bell rang for lunch…and when he finally reacted, the alien had moved involuntarily, in an 'automated' fashion and was now sitting…not even poking at the cafeteria's…'food'…

Zim felt the piercing gaze, and not liking to be disturbed when he was basking in the delightful shine of his ingenious thoughts, he turned sharply to look at the stinking bag of flesh and bone who had dared to sit so disgustingly near him, narrowing his eyes in annoyance…

"What!?"

Dib raised an eyebrow…he was taken a bit aback by the sudden attention from the Irken, but that didn't stop the words…

"You seem a bit...off…like…VERY distracted…"

Zim stared at him…he resembled HIM too much…damn heredity, damn genes…a pointy finger went to dig itself into Dib's forehead…poking it repeatedly…

"HA! That's EXACTLY what Zim wants you to believe Dib-stink!!"

Zim stood and left, he couldn't bear to be near the human any longer, not with such a strong resemblance…to say that Dib was confused by the alien's actions would have been an utter understatement…

Apparently, it seemed that if you left the skool without any good reason, no one would notice, the hall monitor seemed to be there more for show than anything else, Zim decided that it was time to go to his base…he would try a new approach…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Zim was so engrossed in working in a new kind of data transmission interface for his computer that he didn't notice how soon the night had fallen…he grinned, adjusting the final details of the software…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Membrane was still in his lab, he didn't want to go home just yet, he'd gotten a bit used to the sensation of being observed…either that or his mind had just decided to ignore it…there were two reasons why he didn't want to go to his house just yet, one was that, lately, he'd not been able to complete his projects because of constant interruptions, useless and stupid interruptions of all and every imaginable kind…the other one, the most obvious one, that's where the dreams had come and where all this had begun…he felt a bit safer inside his lab…to distract himself he returned to testing and mixing some chemicals, and watching the reactions…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"_Software installed and fully functional…what would you like to do now, master??"_

Zim's computer interrupted the silence inside the base…Zim inhaled sharply and exhaled slowly; much like a human would do to relax himself, but that wasn't his purpose…

His new software had two interesting characteristics, the first one being the user interface in itself, the first option was command-based Zim only had to voice an order and the data will be converted into electrical impulses and actually felt by the receiver, the second option was a pair of virtual reality gloves and a headset, they connected themselves to the cranial and hands nerves, allowing both movement and real-time sensation, the second characteristic was the way it send the data, basically it sent electrical current of variable intensity, that was perceived by the nerves in the skin and interpreted by the brain as an actual 'touch'…

Zim put on the headset and the pair of gloves came down from the wired ceiling, encasing his hands…

"Computer!! Initiate the simulation…"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Membrane had gone to something that looked like a little living-room near his private lab, and was now lying down on one of the couches, his goggles long gone and his eyes closed, the lab coat collar was opened, he was beginning to feel a little asphyxiated by it…and he was being very careful, of not falling asleep, listening to everything that went on around him, which was mostly the humming of machines doing stuff, his labs were never completely quiet…

When he was getting completely relaxed, he felt a little breeze wash over him, like if a window had been opened, of course, there were no windows…he ignored it…then he felt something tugging lightly at his hair…he opened his eyes, frowning, he brushed away (or tried to) whatever it was and closing his eyes, tried to relax again…suddenly, Membrane felt knuckles brush very lightly against his cheek, he tensed and hastily closed back the neck of the lab coat, groaning, but then there were fingertips against his lips, the touch was feathery, but it was annoying Membrane, if he was going to be touched, he wanted it to be more tangible…

Teeth dug into Membrane's neck, hard enough to bruise, making him gasp quietly, a rather thin tongue coming out to lick slowly at the abused skin and he felt the weight of something straddling his waist and grabbing viciously his hips…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Zim was kneeling, loving the reactions that such simple stimuli generated from the human…even the annoyance; he changed positions, placing himself between Membrane's thighs, (technology making up for the difference in height) distracting him with his tongue, leaving a wet trail up to his ear and sucking on the lobe very gently, while he opened Membrane's lab coat completely…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Membrane felt light-headed and dizzy, he felt everything, the air hitting his heated and pale skin, the teeth that repeatedly nibbled at the sensitive skin of his neck, his head tilting to the side to allow better access as the lips kissed their way down to his throat, and also the claws that dug into his skin and left it reddened, kneading the muscle under it and caressing it afterwards, Membrane wasn't surprised when he felt his legs were spread slightly, he was too entranced in the feeling altogether…because it felt so good and so real, and it'd been so long…and still, there was nothing there…no one else…

He felt hips rocking against his own, making him gasp so lovely and arch his back to gain at least more friction…he felt the claws dig into his thighs and press him closer against the other body…he moaned...curling up his legs loosely around the other almost tangible body…

A pair of lanky-fingered hands grabbed Membrane's head and a pair of lips slammed themselves against his own, a hand pulling the scythe-lock and tilting his head back to open his mouth further while the other arm wound possessively around his waist, the serpentine tongue clamming around Membrane's fleshy one and sucking hard…eventually letting go to caress at the insides…the same possessive need he'd felt before spreading through his being…

After a bit, Membrane realized he needed to breathe, he was gasping, and was nearing his climax…rocking his hips slower but in a more wanton way, his hands grabbing the couch for something resembling control in any way…the aliens' tongue licking the side of Membrane's mouth…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Zim was becoming overwhelmed; he had to stop before he lost the little control he had left of himself, it was supposed to be only an experiment…but the feeling of Membrane's body trembling and pressed against his own was just fantastic…

Zim slid one hand out of the glove, reaching for the computer's keyboard and pressing the keys until he hit the one that ended the application and came back to the reality of his base…standing on all fours and panting heavily…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Membrane was very close, his breathing had become erratic and quick, he could feel the heat pooling at the base of his spine, but as soon as it began it ended…his body knew it was over, but it took a few minutes for his mind to actually understand it…he let out a frustrated moan, covering his face with his hands…real science couldn't explain any of this and he knew it…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Zim was now sitting on some kind of platform, his body still tingling with the sensation and the warmth, his voice was husky and low…

"The human body…is such an interesting thing…computer!! Did you gather the data??"

"Yeeaah…"

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	3. Mirror

AN: mmmm, why? why is it that I don't QUITE like this chapter?? I wonder...but ah well, you judge it...it might lead to something interesting after all...

Enjoy!!_**  
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_**Chapter Three: Mirror**_

It was a rainy night (beware! The author seems to like rain), the kind of night in which you can't even see the sky…Membrane was lying on his side upon his too large bed…it had barely been hours since what happened in his lab, the elation had subsided completely and he felt like he was just descending from an awesome high and crumbling right into the horrible crash…

He sighed, whatever it had been, since his mind couldn't attribute it to any logical phenomenon anymore without sounding fallacious, had made long ago buried deep down and forgotten emotions resurface, the most overwhelming one, a disturbing loneliness…for the first time in his life he could see the limitations of real science and how narrow-scoped it could be sometimes…

It couldn't explain either why he'd been so willing when the contact was offered…unless Membrane accepted psychology as a science…a REAL one…

He decided that a long, dreamless sleep was the best for him in that moment…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A few days later, Dib was meditating upon Zim's weird behaviour, the alien had been avoiding him, normally he would at least tease him, but lately he'd been avoiding any kind of contact with him, and I mean ANY, even eye contact, words…anything…it was obvious that there was something fishy going on…and then it hit him, he remembered the spying device he'd put inside Zim's base ever since the Tak incident, Zim had used it to kick him out of the game when he planned to bring the Tallest to earth but, fortunately, he'd not uninstalled it…and even if he'd done it, Dib could hack into his system perfectly and quite easily override it…

He went to sit in front of his computer; the poor thing had been so abandoned lately…Dib had been thinking too much without getting anything actually done…when the camera circuits opened and showed the inside of the base, Zim was nowhere to be found…it was around 4 am and Zim wasn't in his base…it was weird…Zim didn't go out at night normally…Dib was puzzled…there was only GIR there, and the little robot was watching TV as always…he thought it might be a good thing to pay the metallic thing a visit…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"HI!!!!!!! You're the kid that likes Master!!!!"

GIR let Dib inside, actually more like pulled him inside…Dib didn't know if he should feel offended about the 'liking' thing…he thought that the robot was too stupid to actually know what he was talking about and maybe he should let it slide this time…

"GIR…where's your master?? Where did he go??"

GIR was sucking on the couch…he stopped mid-suck and then jumped to land on his head in front of Dib…the boy's mouth twitched a bit…

"Master isn't downstairs!?"

Obviously the robot didn't know anything more about the alien's whereabouts than him …Dib walked past GIR and onto the elevator inside the trash-can…

"I'll be looking for him GIR; I'll let you know if I find him…"

"OK!!"

GIR went back to sucking on the couch…this time in a different place…who knows? Maybe the taste depends of the place!!

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

There were several levels inside Zim's base, so he went to the one were the main computer was…maybe he could find something that could at least serve as a hint to Zim's current location…he passed by a known door, then walked backwards some steps and saw that it was where he'd been 'playing' with Zim the time he'd tried to bring the Tallest…but, there was something different…the controls were different…

He found the gloves and the headset in the middle of a large circle that resembled more a thick tube…the cockpit with the joystick was gone…he stepped into the circle and put on the gloves and headset…but he didn't know how to initiate the game and thus couldn't see a thing…he decided to leave and go on searching…

When he reached the main console, he asked the computer where did Zim go…but the computer seemed to be asleep, as weird as it may sound, so he began to look into Zim's files…all the cameras inside the base, the circuits, the software, he eventually found the one of the gloves and headset and saw that it was running but ignored it, in the section of the cameras he found some relatively new ones and that seemed to be outside the base, he opened the links, maybe they were the Mars' ones or even newer ones on the Moon…

A blurry image began to form on the screen, when it cleared he saw something he recognized immediately…it was his dad's lab in his house…it kind of surprised him, but he couldn't say he was in a state of shock…after all, Zim could ONLY be after the technology his dad created, nothing more, he opened the next one, the inside of his house, specifically the living-room and a shared link with the kitchen, he decided it was getting a bit too weird, the third one was the inside of the Membrane labs, his eyes narrowed a bit, it was amazing in itself that he could bug inside there, but still he thought that maybe all this was just to spy him just as he himself spied Zim, the fourth camera, however, cleared all of those thoughts out of his head…as the image progressively showed itself, Dib's eyes widened more and more, in shock and a bit of horror…it was his dad's bedroom…he walked away from the console, slowly, but somehow his feet tripped with his trench-coat and he fell flat on his ass…

When he was able to overcome a bit of his horror, he crawled back to the console, kneeling in front of it and closed all the links, but movement caught his eye inside the Membrane labs one before he could close it…it was a tiny figure walking down a corridor, green skin, a pair of antennae bouncing as he walked, Dib's breath caught in his throat, he couldn't understand it…before he could stop himself he ran to the elevator, making it go to the home level…as soon as he reached it, he got out of there as fast as he could, GIR didn't even have time to say anything before he saw the Dib run like mad and nearly slam himself against the front door…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Dib ran as fast as he could…he HAD to get to his dad's labs before Zim left…he just HAD to know what was going on!!

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

There was a door leading out of the labs that went into an alley, but no, Zim wanted to go out through the front door, besides, there was no one in there anyway, only the obsessive scientist which seemed to be the subject of all his attention lately and to which he'd become just way too attached for his own well-being and that somehow, hadn't even noticed there was someone else inside the labs besides him…he'd finally reached the entrance and was closing the crystal door behind him…but something just had to interrupt that peaceful situation…

"Zim!!! What are you doing here!? What's all this mean!?"

Zim turned slowly…it was that shrilly voice that disgusted him…he couldn't stand it…it was just TOO similar…and the familiarity…they were too alike…and still, Dib was much more annoying…he rolled his eyes and stopped in his tracks, waiting for Dib to stop running towards him…placing his hands on his hips, he stood there, nonchalantly as if he'd not just come out of the Membrane labs, and as if he'd not been ignoring the human panting in front of him for days and days…

"That's none of your business Dib-stink…"

Dib was trying to catch his breath; he approached Zim…a hand pointing to the crystal doors besides them…

"Those are my dad's labs…I do think it is my business…wait…I know, you're trying to steal our technology to create something to destroy it in return, that's it, isn't it!?"

Zim scuffed, pushing Dib against the crystal doors so hard it made them rattle and for a split second Dib prayed the crystal wouldn't break…

"Don't be an idiot!! Why would I want to steal your rotten and primitive technology!? Irken smeets have more complicated toys…Dib-stain…"

Dib turned his face away; his voice was low and frustrated when he spoke…

"Would you…stop calling me names already??"

Zim raised an eyebrow, placing a hand on each side of Dib's head…invading his personal space but without touching him at all…he didn't want to get himself contaminated…

"Why? You never complained before…"

Dib's voice grew in frustration…his hands grabbed the front of Zim's clothes, pushing him away a bit…Zim's eyes widened slightly, he didn't like it…

"Yeah…well, it's getting annoying…"

"Too bad…it's funny, Dib-human…"

Dib's hand grabbed Zim's clothes and shoved him away…

"Is it!? Alien scum!?"

Zim grabbed Dib's wrists for balance, making him fall to his knees in front of the alien who'd somehow remained standing…

"Yes, yes it is…but I don't have time to 'play' with you right now, stoopid human…"

He said letting go of Dib…the human quickly grabbed his hand…

"Zim wait!! Tell me what were you doing here!!"

Zim yanked his hand back, looking down at Dib, who seemed to really be waiting for an answer…he looked so angry…and confused…something was cracking inside Zim…

"I don't have why to explain myself to you…"

Dib snapped, but not aggressively, his head sunk and he spoke more out of frustration than of actual interest…

"C'mon!! What's going on!? Why do you keep ignoring me Zim!? You don't even bother me anymore if I don't tease you first!! I can't stand it!!"

Zim smiled, he slouched a bit, his hand reaching out and grabbing Dib's cheek, making the human look at him straight in the eye…

"Oh…so that's what ALL this rambling is about?? You MISS me, Dib-human?? You miss all the screaming and the fighting??..." his voice was escalating in pitch, "You miss all the harassing and all the arguing!? You miss all the ATTENTION I used to give YOU!? YOU. MISS. ZIM, HUMAN!?!?"

Dib brushed away Zim's hand, standing up and not bothering to look at Zim…

"Don't flatter yourself Zim, I'm not a masochist…I just want to know, what's going on!? Why did I find spying cameras here and in my house!? And WHAT are you doing here!?!? And at this hour!?!?"

"You what!? You've been hacking into my systems again!?!?"

Zim's spider legs shot out of his PAK, he grabbed Dib by the front of his trench-coat…Dib spat the words at Zim…

"Yeah…so what!? You wouldn't tell me anything anymore…you were always screaming about everything you were going to do to my planet…I never had to question you before!!"

Zim threw him violently to the floor, the spider-lags back inside his PAK, he put a foot on top of Dib's back, he didn't want him to stand up just yet, he NEEDED to feel superior…

"As I already said…THIS is none of your business…"

He turned and was about to walk away but Dib grabbed his leg…it was a bit difficult breathing again when you've just been stepped on…

"…please Zim…"

"Please what!?"

"…don't go…tell me…"

Zim grabbed Dib's arm, right under the shoulder and pulled him to his knees, hissing the words next to his ear…

"I WILL go…and I WON'T tell you anything…none of this involves you, you don't have WHY to know it…and it's too bad you don't know the truth about yourself…that could make you understand a bit why you're so hideous…"

"…What are you talking about Zim?"

"Perhaps you should dig into your own father's files instead of mine, Dib-thing…there's nothing in there for you…and, truly, I think that if you looked deep enough into mine…what you would find…would disgust you…"

He let Dib fall to the floor, walking away calmly…he didn't care if the human didn't understand a thing…maybe it was better that way…


	4. Confrontations of the Mind

_AN: soo, this chapter seems a bit too sappy for my liking, and it took a bit longer for me to write due to a little case of author's block...and, c'mon! don't underestimate Zim like that!!! cries like a little smeet  
_

_Enjoy!!__**  
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_**Chapter**__** Four: Confrontations of the Mind**_

Membrane had been staying at home a lot…he was progressively getting more and more depressed…repressed emotions are the worst, they come back at you with full force…as if the moment in which they were generated had only been paused, and the actions were only resuming…but Membrane couldn't remember why he had such emotions, he only knew they were there…

It was late, actually very late, apparently depression gave Membrane insomnia…he heard the front door open and then slam close, quick footsteps climbing up the stairs and running down the corridor and saw a mass of black, blue and white that could only be Dib pass running obscenely fast…Membrane wondered, should he go like a good father and see what could be disturbing his son so much this time or not? It most likely would have something to do with that green kid…Membrane didn't have to think any further, Dib came storming into his bedroom…

"Dad!!! An alien has been spying…us, no, YOU!!! We have to search the house and remove the cameras and stuff!!"

Dib remained there, all tense and twitchy, Membrane shook his head, raising a finger as if about to state something of transcendental importance…

"I'll say it once again son, there are no aliens!!"

"You don't understand!! You just don't!! I'm telling you your life is in danger…I know you don't believe me, you never do, and I know you don't care about us but it's true…I found the cameras' links in Zim's base and-"

Membrane's eyes narrowed…

"What madness are you saying?? Us??"

Dib lowered his gaze…

"Gaz and me…"

Membrane looked away from Dib…not now; he didn't want to know just how much he'd neglected his kids, how much pain he'd caused…

"Nevermind, I knew you wouldn't believe me anyway…"

Membrane's throat tightened, keeping inside all he wanted to say and all he wanted to deny so badly, but there was no way he could be forgiven for so many years of absence, no way it could be justified…Membrane sighed, pulling his legs to his chest and curling into a tight bal…reality just too stark for him…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Zim's fist slammed against the computer's keyboard…

"Hideous, stupid human!! Why must it always be like this!?!? Always messing up with my plans, sticking your filthy nose where you shouldn't!!! But no more…I won't let you ruin it all any further…"

Zim knew that even if Membrane wouldn't believe Dib's words even if he had the alien in front of him, his mind wasn't at its best right now, and the subconscious would take into serious consideration any suggestion made, no matter how weak, and if it got into the conscious mind, it would be a problem, and Zim couldn't take that kind of risk…he would have to kick Dib out of the game…but how?

Getting rid of something so useless and weak like a human shouldn't be anywhere near difficult; he'll only have to manage…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Science, REAL science, the Tallest, white bunnies, cheesy carrots and crappy experimentation be damned, Zim wanted it, the contact, the closeness, Zim wanted Membrane, he'd been craving it more and more ever since the experimentation incident of the labs…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Membrane was sitting next to Dib's sleeping form, how could he say all those horrible things? Of course he cared about them…he loved them so much it hurt, but he'd never been good with the things of the heart and couldn't bring himself to open up and say it, he'd rather lock himself up in his lab and barely see them…he was so doomed…

He reached out and softly touched Dib's head, apparently he was a heavy sleeper because he didn't even stir, Membrane stroked Dib's hair very lightly, liking the texture, it was soft, softer than his own…he grabbed the scythe-lock, which was limp against the pillows and observed it…how could he have forgotten about them for so long? Gaz seemed well, but why had it affected Dib so much? He couldn't tell…he wasn't good at reading emotions; he leaned forward and placed a tiny kiss on Dib's cheek before he left…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Computer!!!!!!"

"_Whaaaaaat??"_

Zim narrowed an eye more than the other…

"You don't sound well at all…computer…anyhow, run my still newest software and initiate the simulation…"

"Data gathering mode??"

"No…simple play mode is fine…"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Membrane was lying on his bed, motionless, and without a hint of sleep in his mind…apparently it would be another long night wallowing in the sorrow and just waiting for the sun to rise again, wondering if it ever got tired of doing the same thing everyday…

Membrane rolled over to lie on his side, that certainly wouldn't help him sleep, but at least he could curl up a bit more…

Membrane curled up completely into a tight ball again, lately, that had become his favourite position, thinking of each and every time he'd neglected his kids, particularly Dib, that seemed to be tonight's torture, maybe tomorrow it would be Gaz…

He felt a light brush against his bare back and uncurled a bit, kind of surprised…he knew that touch, he'd missed it…he felt one of the lanky arms slide under his neck, turning his head slowly and tilting it up for a kiss, a passionate and long one, the other arm pulling him closer to the fully tangible but invisible body…

Membrane sighed into the kiss, his eyes closed, too concentrated in feeling…he'd really missed it, the first time had just awakened too many things inside him and left him all confused, this time he really was enjoying it…

The kiss ended way too soon, Membrane's lips hovering near the alien's, their breaths mixing, a clawed hand still on Membrane's cheek, holding his head in place…after a few seconds, Membrane's head lolled back again and Zim leaned forward, pressing open-mouthed kisses from Membrane's ear down to his shoulder, one of his legs pushing between the scientist's long ones…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Zim licked and sucked Membrane's shoulder a bit; he liked the bony feeling, but soon he stopped and laughed a bit on the inside at the tiny grunt Membrane made out of disappointment, his own need was growing, making him frustrated…but he'd been observing the human, and perfectly knew that he needed to rest, the hand that had dug into Membrane's ribs in that characteristically possessive way of Zim and that had left bruises and begun to trace senseless patterns upon Membrane's skin…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

When Membrane felt the claws unearth themselves from his flesh he hissed quietly, there surely would be bruises, he liked the sensation, the possessive pain…he tensed at first when the tiny claws began to 'draw' on his belly, but soon he relaxed, he relaxed so much…one of his hands had gone to intertwine his fingers with the alien's and before he could notice it, he fell asleep…the exhaustion of depression, the angst and a week and a half of no sleep at all finally taking its toll on him…Zim squeezed Membrane's hand so that it didn't fall from his own…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Zim smiled when he felt Membrane relax completely against him, humans reminded him of cats, they were quite alike as far as pleasure was concerned, the hand that had been resting on Membrane's belly slid down to the human's thigh, he stroked the skin lightly, it was warm, and soft, it amazed him how humans could be really soft, Irkens were smooth but not soft, he liked it, he liked it very much…

He didn't need to sleep, so he decided he would remain there, just like that for a while, besides, he kind of felt at peace, more than anytime before, it just felt right to be lying there, embracing his human…he pressed his forehead against Membrane's shoulder…

---------------------------------------


	5. Fallen grausam

AN: um...I think that...maybe it'll be longer than I expected before I update after this because, I'm kind of running out of imagination...I have the ideas, but I don't QUITE know how to get them out of my head lately...but! don't worry! I won't just abandon my story XD

So for the time being...

Enjoy!!

_**Chapter Five: Fallen (grausam)**_

Dib was running like mad, he knew it wasn't a good idea to run around in the middle of the night and much less with such a strong storm roaring in the sky, he'd thought at first that, maybe, the water would help him escape since the liquid seemed to displease the alien so much, but, ever since the paste thing, Zim didn't even worry about rain anymore…

Dib turned into a back alley quickly, he'd been able to outrun Zim before, even with the spider-legs, but Zim had never been so determined on hurting him…and he still couldn't understand, what, just WHAT had he done this time!?

Dib was panting, his back pressed against the alley's wall, he peeked at the street but Zim was nowhere to be seen…

"What the!?"

"Were you looking for me…human??"

Dib paralysed when he heard the words whispered to his ear, turning sharply, he saw the grin the alien wore while pathetically trying to look for a way to escape from the spider-legs that slammed him against the alleys' wall…

"Aah!"

Dib grabbed the spider-legs, trying to ease the pressure inflicted but it was of no use…

"Zim!! Let go…what did I do this time??"

The alien leaned forward, his body pressed against Dib's, upon the spider-legs…

"Stupid, stinking human…you still can't see how you brought this upon yourself…only someone as stupid as you wouldn't understand!! Haven't you seen enough already!?"

Dib's voice was low; he didn't have enough air to speak louder…

"…I don't know what you're…talking about…I really don't…Zim, I only know…you're spying us…"

Dib's head lolled forward, the spider-legs pinning him were squeezing his ribcage too much, he could hardly breathe, Zim grabbed Dib's head between his hands, narrowing his eyes while a sickeningly sweet smile spread through his features…

"And that's EXACTLY why…you'll no longer need to breathe…"

Zim's head dipped lower, Dib squirmed a bit, his hands grabbing Zim's forearms, until the words hit his brain…

"You're going….to KILL me??"

Zim's lips brushed lightly against Dib's ear, the warm air caressing Dib's frozen skin as the alien spoke…

"I see you get the point Dib-stain, apparently this enormous head of yours isn't just for show…but of course, I had to come and do it all myself…it seems to be the only way in which I get anything done, quite fucked up, no?"

The rain still fell heavily upon them, the storm hadn't done anything else than intensifying, Dib squirmed some more and whimpered, his arms falling to his sides…

"But…I'm not the only one…what about…Gaz?"

Zim laughed quietly, a shuddery sound…

"She's not a problem at the moment…"

Dib grunted…

"But…if she ever becomes one…you'll do the same…to her, right??"

"Of course!! Your father won't miss either of you anyway…"

"Why are you after him…so much!?"

Humans were so gullible and stupid, he tilted Dib's head upwards, kissing Dib's throat…Zim smiled…

"Why do I ALWAYS have to repeat myself with you?? It's none of your business…"

Zim smiled and the spider-legs lifted him just a bit so he could look down on the human, Dib seemed off, somewhere between bliss and worry…how disgusting, completely revolting…

Zim decided it'd been enough teasing, the human wouldn't see it coming anyway, he grabbed Dib's head firmly and kissed him, forcing his tongue inside, squeezing Dib's jaw open…Dib's arms tried to push Zim away but a pair of spider-legs with pointy ends dug themselves into Dib's forearms, holding them in place against the alley's wall without piercing them completely…becoming soaked in the human's blood instantly…

"Mmngh!!"

Dib felt how the serpentine tongue invaded his mouth, forcing a dissolved powder down his throat, leaving no space for him not to swallow it since the alien's tongue was much longer than his own…the flavour was bitter and it mixed with the confused signals of pain that ravaged his brain…

Once Zim was sure the human had swallowed it all he left his mouth, spitting the rest of the drug and Dib's revolting saliva and the thin layer of aluminium that had been protecting his mouth of swallowing the entire thing, he knew the drug will affect him too, but the half-life would be cut to at least a third of the normal…Dib was dazed, the diluted form was easier to absorb and even if it took it a bit to get to his bloodstream, he'd already lost quite a bit of blood due to the spider-legs…

Zim let Dib fall to the floor, the human fell like a rag-doll, he tried to kneel but he couldn't and fell down into a muddy puddle, Zim descended slowly to stand next to him, the spider-legs retracting back into his PAK, he grabbed Dib's hair and yanked his head up, the human seemed ready to pass out…after all, he'd just taken a much higher dose than the lethal one of the most potent human hallucinogens, no way he could survive…

Zim had thought of using Irken drugs on him, but he didn't want to blow that tiny part of his cover up…Zim laughed, a guttural sound that grew in pitch, resounding between the pair of too close buildings that formed the alley…

"Humans are too fragile…"

He continued laughing as he walked away…

Dib felt very dizzy, he felt his heartbeat inside his head and it felt as if it were to explode, his vision began to blur and a strong pain seemed to pull at his brain as he sank into oblivion…as if his brain were being cut into half by a red-hot blade…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The sounds came in very slowly, he didn't open his eyes out of fear of what he might see, his arms hurt immensely, a hand went to touch one forearm and he felt bandages…in the distance he heard a conversation, one voice was of a female, he couldn't recognize it, the other one, he knew it just too well…

"Can I come in now?"

"Yes professor…he's not awake, but he's fine…he'll mostly hear you…"

"Thank you…"

Dib heard the door opening and closing again quickly, the footsteps approaching and the cracking sound of a chair as weight settled upon it…Dib was still pretending to be asleep…

"An overdose…what were you thinking??"

The words were saturated with regret…towards their very owner…Dib couldn't stop himself from talking, his eyes opening completely wide…

"You never cared, why begin now!?"

"You're awake!? How long have you been awake!?"

Membrane suddenly appearing in Dib's blurry field of vision, how he missed his glasses…he couldn't read the emotions on Membrane's face…

"A few minutes…so what's the problem? The world's most famous scientist's son had an overdose of something; will it ruin your reputation? Is that why you're so mad?"

Membrane sat back again, pulling the chair near to Dib's bed…

"I'm not mad…I'm worried…what happened??"

"I already tried to explain it to the doctor and the nurses, or at least what I remember…but they just won't believe me…they say it was a product of my altered imagination…they think I'm just another stupid junkie…and you hardly know me at all, so it wouldn't surprise me if you didn't believe me either…"

"Do you at least know what caused the overdose?"

"Again…they think I'm a stupid junkie, remember? Obviously they think I perfectly knew what the drug was…so no, I don't…haven't they told you??"

"No…they only said that you were barely alive when you were brought here…"

Dib thought of the words a bit…brought?

"Who brought me here??"

"Some by-passer…he didn't stay…tell me what happened Dib…"

Dib's eyes narrowed and he turned to look at Membrane, like the scientist was nearer now; he could see him quite well…he saw worry there, and nothing more, but he knew that his father could be quite deceptive…Dib really didn't know if he should trust in him…it'd never been easy…

"It has to do with the green kid…do you still want to hear it??"

Membrane blinked, he slowly took in what Dib had just said and, fascinatingly, his mind didn't seem to reject it…

"…yes…"

Dib eyed him suspiciously for a moment, maybe he'd changed a little bit, his dad hadn't been the same during the last week, that much was obvious, but still, he thought that, Professor Membrane, could be as deceptive or as convincing as he wanted to be, Membrane sighed…he knew his son wasn't convinced in the slightest, heck, Membrane didn't even believe in himself either…

"What do I have to do for you to trust me?"

Dib rolled onto his side, facing Membrane in a more comfortable way, his back was beginning to ache…he'd said so many times before, and there he was, saying it once again, the stupidest mistake…

"Believe me…at least just once…just this once…even if it's only as Professor Membrane and to shut me up, I don't care…"

Membrane stared at Dib and nodded slightly…

"Ok…I won't get into details, besides, I don't remember much myself…he drugged me…I don't know what it was…but…dad…he's trying to kill me, he said it himself…and I don't know what did I do this time!!"

"Why would he want to kill you??"

"…because he's after you…I already told you!! He's spying you!! Not me, not Gaz…just YOU…"

Membrane meditated upon all what Dib was saying, he still thought his son was insane…and without mentioning that all he was saying sounded fishy…

"How long has it been since I was brought here??"

"Three days…apparently that guy brought you in the morning of the same day…"

Dib turned slightly, lying flat on his back again, he was getting all cramped because of being on bed all day, suddenly the sound coming from the outside caught his attention, it was the pit-pattering of rain…it always seemed to be there, like the humid, protective cloak that surrounded him in his darkest moments, how dreadful…

"I can find out what drugs he used….if they haven't been drained completely from your system it should be easy…I only need a blood sample…"

"Ok…"

Membrane called for a nurse…a little, red-haired woman arrived, Membrane told her to take the blood sample, and then transport it to his labs, he knew that common labs wouldn't do and he knew he had the authority to do as he pleased nearly everywhere…

"I'll be back with the results in a few hours…"

"Alright…"

-----------------------------------------------------------


	6. Bluish Glitter

AN: um...so...I'm updating again! (C'MON SMILE!!)

I've been reading 'JTHM: Director's Cut' and Vasquez's stuff more than normal, listening to Monster Magnet and the Offspring a bit too much and I have a really serious case of sleep deprivation, so if you find this chapter to be weird in anyway, please feel free to go and pester them with complaints XD

Description can get annoying --;

Enjoy!

**_Chapter Six: Bluish Glitter _**

****

**_- I'm crazy for trying, _**

**_And crazy for crying, _**

**_And crazy for loving you…- _**

****

**_"Crazy", _****by Kidneythieves. **

****

Zim had been watching when that other human took Dib away, it kind of worried him, however, unless Dib's body was unusually strong, he should've been dead by the time he was found…but still, he couldn't stop the idea from bothering him…besides, it'd been two days already and Dib hadn't shown up at school, if he'd survived, then Zim wondered what was the human doing? But if he'd died, then why hadn't anyone said anything yet? Not even the disgusting human's sister…

"Computer!!! What's that place where lots of sick humans are kept??"

"Hospital??"

"Ah yes…maybe, I should go and pay Dib a little visit…"

-.-

Membrane had been working for hours, looking for remnants of drugs too late was too tiresome, he'd found a rather large quantity of LSD, which meant it should have been an extremely large dose at the beginning, along with traces of pure MDMA, which was difficult to obtain unless excellent facilities were available and, very light traces of phencyclidine along with the diazepam they'd given to him to 'cut off' the effect of the hallucinogens, he couldn't understand how Dib could survive such cocktail, without mentioning the blood-loss and the wounds…he smiled a bit behind the collar of his lab coat, which he'd not wore for a week now…

The smile vanished completely when a chill ran down his back…that feeling had always been a prelude to something he adored before, but right now, he couldn't say he was in any condition to receive…or, at least his mind wasn't…he turned and stared at the void lab in front of him, leaning slightly on the lab table, it'd always been like that…

Membrane heard the tiny footsteps…was it only him or his visitor was always way too quiet?? Maybe he just was incredibly light…Membrane crossed his arms…he was getting a bit impatient then he felt a hand on his thigh, right upon the bruises that still were there…really, it hadn't been THAT long now that he thought about it…

But as soon as it begun to caress its way upwards along his thigh and almost reaching his hip, it was gone…with the same breeze it always came it was gone, the breeze could only be the interface of another dimension opening but Membrane didn't want to think about it in that moment because he knew he'd miss it…he turned to continue working…trying to push his need to the back of his mind for the time being…

-.-

Zim crossed his legs, taking the headset off and placed it on his lap…why hadn't he gone any further? He wanted to and he'd felt the human's need being so strong he could almost say it will become something tangible…

He threw the headset and the pair of gloves to his side and heard the cracking noises they made as they collided with the wall, maybe they would be damaged…

"Damn…"

Anyhow, there were more important things to take care of in that moment…he started for the door and where his Voot Cruiser was stored…

-.-

Membrane couldn't concentrate on the results, it was a relief that the most important part of the tests was already finished because he couldn't stand it, the need, that single touch had lit up the fire that had been awakened inside him the first time and that grew stronger with each encounter, he hated it, wanting it so much…always threatening to consume him, and he wanted to be overwhelmed…

However, his need didn't stem out from his body's cravings, it derived itself from his mind's libido…all the wants he'd pushed aside so long ago…he fell to his knees, holding the table's edge very tight…he really wanted to be touched…to lose control…

-.-

Dib heard a very light knock on his door and slowly woke up…the rain seemed to have stopped but it was obvious that it still was dark…and damp and cold outside…

"Come in…"

A head popped out from behind the door…

"Hi!! I'm doctor Sath, I'm a psychiatrist, I was asked to make you a few tests, if you don't mind?"

By then the doctor had already entered the room, closed the door behind him and was standing next to Dib, who was eyeing him curiously…

"No…of course not…"

The doctor was a bit shorter than his dad and had really, really black, straight hair that reached down to his chin, a part of which covered one eye, under the lab coat, his clothes were all black too…he kind of reminded him of Dwicky…Dib was beginning to feel very wary….the doctor then locked the door and pulled out a metallic shelf where a lot of syringes and different recipients were placed neatly…Dib felt a chill run down his back…

"What are you doing??"

The doctor could hear the fear in Dib's voice; he smiled before turning to face the kid again…

"Don't worry, that's just for later…the first tests are all psychological stuff…so…if you'll please begin to answer them…"

"A-alright…"

Dib was caught off-guard by the bunch of papers and the pencil that were practically shoved onto him…the doctor went to sit down on the same chair Membrane had used before and watched intently as Dib went through the sheets…

"Um…I think I'm done…"

The doctor was abruptly taken out of his thoughts by Dib's voice and stood up, walking slowly and practically snatching the papers and the pencil from Dib, who decided to ignore such rudeness…

"Ok…your arm please…"

Dib seemed confused, when he saw the syringe and the rubber band that the doctor held, he understood…

"Another?"

"Yes…right now is when the fun begins…"

Dib didn't answer and let the doctor take the blood sample…the doctor went to the shelf that had previously been pulled out and poured some of the blood in a little recipient…Dib was curious…and nervous…

"What do you need that blood sample for??"

It took the doctor a little while to answer, he seemed to be mixing something glittery with a part of the blood sample, then something a bit more opaque…

"We need to measure the tolerance you've developed to certain drugs..."

"It's easy…none!! I already told the other doctors, I'm not a junkie!! I don't get stoned on a regular basis!!"

The doctor saw Dib out of the corner of his eye with a lop-sided smile…an 'I know stuff' smile…

"So you do get high once in a while?"

"I didn't say that…no…I'd never done it before…"

The doctor turned to face Dib; he seemed annoyed and crossed his hands behind his back…

"Dib…ALL addicts say that…do you really believe I would fall for it??

"But I'm not lying!!"

"Stop it already...why to keep on trying when it's obvious I'm not believing you one little bit??"

"…you're just like everyone else…"

Dib turned to look out the window; the doctor sighed and went back to whatever he was doing with the blood sample…it didn't take long for the doctor to steal Dib's attention back…

"Ok…so now…I'm going to inject something to measure the half-life some drugs have in your blood…"

Dib turned quickly and saw the rather thick syringe…it seemed to contain a glittery substance inside…purplish…

"Wha-what's that!?"

The doctor rolled his eyes…

"I told you! A substance to measure the half-life…"

Dib narrowed his eyes…

"You think I'm stupid??"

"Of course not…just plain stubborn…"

The doctor put away the syringe for a bit and pulled Dib's arms on top of his head, tying them up to the bed, one with his tie and the other with some kind of ribbon…not too tight, but enough for them not to slip out…

"Hey!!! What do you think you're doing!?"

"There's no other way you would cooperate…"

"Hey!!!! Stop it!!"

The doctor slouched a bit and hissed into Dib's ear…

"Shut up already…"

Then he tied Dib's legs, one to each side of the bed, being careful of not cutting the circulation…

"Why don't you gag me too??"

The doctor tilted his head amusedly at the sarcasm in the sentence, smiling really, really pleased…pulling out the syringe again as he approached Dib's arm again…

"No…I want to hear what you have to say when this is all over…anyway, you won't have the strength to scream…"

He carefully searched for Dib's veins and injected the glittery substance…when he finished, he threw the syringe to the garbage, along with the rest of the things that had been on the shelf…sitting back on the chair, seeming very pleased with himself…

"Wait a bit, and you will start feeling a little weird…but it's perfectly normal…I guess…"

-.- Some 10 minutes later -.-

"What the!? My feet!! I can't feel them!! Why can't I feel them!?"

The doctor stood from the chair to sit on the bed; next to Dib instead…he smiled, putting a hand upon Dib's stomach, a touch that would've been somehow reassuring if they weren't in such dire circumstances…

"Ah yes, the nanites' effects are beginning to show…they start with the cells farthest away from the brain, encasing them inside variable temporal fields, inevitably slowing their functions down to perpetual and complete stop, until the whole fails, tissues, organs, systems, everything…don't worry though Dib, the cells won't die just yet…they will all begin to die when the last neuron does…since those are the last ones to be affected…so you'll be able to feel everything while you slowly die…"

Dib's eyes widened, he was somewhere between amazement and terror…

"…you…you're insane…why do you do this!?"

The doctor didn't move, he seemed to be quite comfortable there, while Dib lost sensorial perception slowly…

"Because I want something…something that you have and that you shouldn't…"

"Something…I have??"

"Yes!! And that shouldn't be yours at all, because you just can't appreciate it…let's see if by losing it, you can finally understand its huge value…"

Dib's eyes widened obscenely, how could he have been so stupid?? How come he didn't see it coming!?

"No…all this…no…not that again…it's YOU…Zim!!"

The being sitting next to Dib didn't drop off the disguise, but the voice did change a lot…and it sounded really annoyed…

"…anyone would've thought that you should've noticed by now…but now I see why you can't understand him at all!! You're just too stupid…and that's why you don't deserve him…"

"Him!? Ugh, not again!! Not my dad again…Zim, it's not like I chose him…we don't get to choose our parents…I don't know how it works on your planet but here it's something completely random…"

The alien narrowed his eyes…

"That doesn't change the fact that you have something I want…and that you've been sticking your nose where you shouldn't…and that you'll inevitably pay…"

"Zim…my dad's not 'mine', he doesn't belong to anyone, unless he says otherwise which is highly improbable…and even if he's a grown-up and completely free to do as he wishes…I really doubt that would include giving himself to you…and…I cannot let you have him so easily…I cannot just hand you in such a dangerous brain…"

Zim smiled, waving a hand dismissively at Dib…

"Beautiful speech human…but it's not his brain I want…not ONLY his brain at least…"

"C'mon!! What else could you want!?"

"You're so naïf human…anyhow…enjoy your death, I'll be watching it from afar…"

"Hey! No!! Come back here!!"

Dib tried to move, to loosen up his restraints, but by then he didn't feel anything up to his knees, there didn't seem to be anything he could do at the moment, and he didn't like the helplessness…it made him feel pathetic and he'd been feeling pathetic for far too long…

"Zim you jerk!!"

-.-

At about 5 am, a nurse began running frantically through the halls pulling a bed with her, there was an unconscious Dib lying on it, and he didn't seem to be breathing, the heartbeat was too slow and completely irregular, the arterial pressure to low, all the organs seemed to have collapsed and if the brain remained like that for too much, there was no turning back…

A doctor instructed another nurse to call Professor Membrane…

-.-

"Hello?"

"Professor Membrane!?"

"Yes…what is it?"

"I'm calling from the hospital…we need you to come here immediately…your son is really, really bad…"


	7. Atomic Clock

**AN: Mmmmm, I don't think I have much to say...ah well, Enjoy!**_**  
**_

**_Chapter Seven: Atomic Clock _**

****

Membrane returned home, he noticed the house was all alone and vaguely wondered where could Gaz be, and he hoped she was alright, even if she could take care of herself perfectly well, she still was just a little girl…

Membrane climbed up the stairs really slow, dragging himself to his room…he sat on the bed, covering his face with his hands, his elbows digging into his knees, he felt devastated…he couldn't just sit down and accept what life was so impolitely throwing at him, he felt like reality was taunting him only to see how much he could take before he snapped…it all resembled a hideous nightmare…

And it didn't look like he could take much more, only a few days had gone by and he was already toying with the idea of suicide, HE, the one who'd been completely and utterly enlightened by the glimmer of REAL SCIENCE more than anyone else, seemed to always be succumbing to his psychological issues…

He felt pathetic all of a sudden and sprawled himself upon his bed, sighing heavily…closing his eyes, he tried to stop the tsunami of despair and guilt that threatened to overwhelm his mind, but resistance proved itself to be futile, heavy, warm tears escaped Membrane's eyes, he didn't even remember where he'd left his goggles…all he could think of right then and there was how alone he felt…as if the whole world was deserted and he was the only human left alive…

-.-

Dib's alarm startled Membrane…he leaned on his elbows, his house didn't look any different than before, but it did feel different and he definitely didn't remember changing clothes or getting inside his bed…

"Aw damn it!! I completely forgot!!"

That voice…Membrane couldn't believe it…it just couldn't be happening…it all, couldn't have been…a dream!?

After the shock, Membrane got up and out of his bedroom, walking towards Dib's room, he needed to know, suddenly he felt a tiny figure stumble against him mid-hall, when he looked down and saw Dib fall on his back in front of him he couldn't believe it…

"Ow…"

Dib quickly got to his feet again and grabbing the front of Membrane's clothes began to shake him, or at least tried to, all while he shouted in that hysterically normal way of his about something Membrane had already heard before and quite recently by the way…

"Dad!!! I completely forgot to tell you earlier, an alien's been spying you!! He has cameras here and in your labs too!! Yesterday he was inside your labs!! I saw him coming out…dad? Are you listening AT ALL?? I know you don't believe in aliens and stuff but…it's true!! I saw it with my own eyes…I thought it was only for the technology, I mean, what else could THAT alien be spying you for? But then I found the cameras in the house-"

"Son…stop…"

Membrane tried to interrupt him, or at least stop Dib from shaking him…

"And I knew it was personal, so it was obvious you needed to know and-"

"DIB!!!"

Dib cringed a bit and shut up instantly, not shaking Membrane anymore and felt how his father's hands slowly pried away his own…

"I'm sorry…I should've known better than telling you…"

Membrane heard the sad undertone and saw Dib was beginning to walk away so he grabbed his son's wrist quickly…

"No…"

Crouching in order to be at eye-level with Dib…who was watching him with a puzzled expression…

"That's not it…it's just that…you were babbling…it was getting annoying…"

Dib's mind went blank, and he went completely lax…though he was still standing…he seemed nooddlely…

"Oh…ooooooh…yeah well, I do that a lot…"

"That's stupid…"

Dib felt a strong 'dejà-vu' feeling…when he could feel his body again he crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes…

"I know…but hey, then, do you believe me!?"

Membrane scratched his chin a bit…

"Well…not exactly believe…but I'm willing to listen…"

"Who are you and what did you do with my dad?"

"Mmm…I'm sure I'm me…but I have a feeling that what you are trying to tell me might be somewhere near true…"

"But you're not one to obey your feelings!!! What happened with REAL SCIENCE!?"

"It can wait for today I guess…"

"…alright…"

Dib's amazement was more than obvious but Membrane didn't pay more attention to it than it deserved…Dib walked to his room, motioning Membrane to follow and sat in front of his computer, Membrane sat on the bed behind him, Dib quickly opened some files and videos that showed the inside of the Membrane Labs…the scientist's eyes narrowed…Dib turned and continued explaining…

"I haven't found the cameras physically, but I've seen the records and I know that he's not after the technology, but I don't know what he might want…"

"Wait a minute…"

"Yeah?"

"You said an alien was spying me…is it the green kid??"

Dib thought of the answer for a bit, and right when he opened his mouth to talk, Membrane felt a wave of nausea hit him, his vision began to blur and he saw the darkness beginning to creep into his world…faintly he heard Dib's voice…

"Dad!? Are you alright?? Dad!!!"

"Dad!!! C'mon!! Wake up!!"

Membrane woke up violently and nearly fell off the bed, he sat slowly, trying to chase away the wave of nausea and to ease the throbbing of his head, he was having migraine, he'd not had migraine in years…

"Dad!! Wake up already!! You'll be late for work!!"

Called the insistent and disturbingly familiar female voice behind his door…the door cracked open slightly…a purple-haired and very pale face peered inside...

"Dad? Are you awake?"

"Gaz?"

Membrane was dumbfounded…the older Gaz stepped inside the bedroom, she had her schoolbag with her, a pair of earphones hanging from it and a videogame was visible inside a transparent little compartment…

"Dad, are you feeling alright??"

"Yes…no! Actually I'm dizzy…I…I don't think I'll go to work today…"

Gaz sat by him on the bed, eyeing him curiously…

"Are you insane!? You have an important experiment today!! You said yourself you just couldn't miss it!! Is it migraine again?"

Membrane was covering his face with his hands, his head felt like an atomic clock, regular and perfect in each of its pulses but its only purpose is the ultimate boom…

"Yeah…"

"Aw god…well, I guess I shouldn't be that surprised…you've been having migraine almost every week ever since Dib…you know…"

Membrane suddenly turned to look at Gaz as quick as his aching head would allow it without making the images blurry…

"What? Dib what?"

Gaz wasn't one to fidget…so she just stated it as it was…

"Died…we even moved out because you just couldn't bare it…"

"Is that so??"

"Dad…I wish you stopped having these periods of complete ignorance…it's not good for either of us…"

Gaz stood up in order to leave…

"I'll leave your medication in the kitchen's table, I have to go or I'll be late and you too!! Everyone at the labs must be hysterical by now without you there…"

She left…Membrane got into the shower in that automated way he was progressively getting used to and afterwards dressed up, with the alterations he'd gone through lately he was amazed that his attire hadn't changed at all, at least he still was a scientist…he descended the stairs slowly, the decoration of the house was pretty much the same as the older one, but the structure and the size was definitely different…this one was a bit bigger, even if the number of people living in it had gotten smaller…it took him a bit getting to the kitchen since he was so entertained looking at his relatively 'new' house…

He grabbed a glass of water and swallowed the tiny yellowish capsules…he grabbed his keys and went outside, after locking the door and activating the security system he turned and what he saw was completely different from the previous location of his house…it was the same city of course, but the place was quite far away from his old house…when he walked towards his car he saw that the exterior was quite alike though…he wondered how much time had gone by…

-.-

His labs didn't seem that different, only for a few more wings added and more technology, but nothing seemed to really have changed, maybe not many years had gone by after all…he saw a large crowd gathered in front of where the PEG lied dormant…apparently he was going to announce something, but he didn't remember at all of course…another scientist approached him…he seemed really nervous…

"Professor!! Finally you're here!! We've been waiting you for hours!! You never really explained us what your new project was so we couldn't make the announcement without you!! Not even a little notice…but now that you're here everything is ok…"

The scientist was pulling Membrane along the corridors and onto the outside platform in front of the PEG, before he could get lose of the other scientist's hold he was in front of the podium and facing an eagerly waiting crowd, he didn't know what to say…it seemed like another of those weird dreams where you're naked in front of a crowd, and he was sure he wasn't naked at all…and he was completely sure he was either going insane or dreaming when the people began to dissipate like fog and the ground began to crack, swallowing him into its darkness again…he didn't even have time to scream…

-.-

"Ha!"

Waking up in a pile of sweaty limbs was becoming something quite common for Membrane, however, there weren't any sheets covering him this time, or at least none of his own since his bed wasn't undone, he sat slowly, apparently the migraine hadn't been part of the insane succession of dreams, he'll have to get some ergotamine…he noticed someone had thrown a little flannel blanket over him while he was asleep, maybe it'd been Gaz, that meant she was back already, Membrane sighed with relief…

He walked to Gaz's room and opened the door very carefully, there was Gaz, sound asleep in her bed…that made him happy but he hadn't been a good father after all, he'd so not been it to either of his children, and it seemed like depression was what life had in store for Membrane once again, along with a little self-induced insomnia because he didn't want to sleep in a while after this…

-.-

Zim leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand, it was getting interesting, who would've thought his human was so vulnerable…his sudden laughter shook his base's silence before it quickly faded and left a lazy grin on the alien's face…

"Don't worry Membrane, you can sleep when you're dead…"


	8. Before I'm Dead

_**AN: mmm, R&R?? **_

**_Chapter Eight: Before I'm Dead _**

****

**_"Well then wise up  
Broken up, really such a shame  
But why not?  
Take a chance, everything's a game  
And it don't stop  
Hooking up, nothing's gonna change" _**

****

**"Hit that", by _The Offspring _**

-.-Password Please-.-

-.--.-

-.-Now Dialling-.-

-.-Connected-.-

"Greetings agent Mothman, what is it this time?"

"An alien's trying to kill me!!! He said he would kill me because I was sticking my nose where I shouldn't and because I had something he wanted and he already tried twice and this last one…wait a minute, who are you!?"

The female figure on the screen of Dib's laptop shook her head slowly a bit before answering…

"I was wondering when would you stop with the rambling and finally ask…I'm agent Alien Doll…"

Dib stared for a minute…how very convenient…

"Oh…you must be new…"

The woman pressed her palm to her forehead, sighing…

"No…I'm actually one of the founders, agent Darkbootie and agent Nessie told me about you…apparently this is the 14th time you call today…"

Dib's eye twitched…

"A-ah, I'm sorry, but I'm in a terrible danger right now, an alien's trying to kill me and stuff!! He already tried twice!! And he almost succeeded in the last one!!"

"You already said that earlier…is it Zim this alien you're talking about??"

"Yeah…there aren't really THAT many aliens that want to kill me…"

"Ok…and what exactly, do you want agent Mothman??"

Dib thought about it for a while…

"Protection…I guess…or some way in which I can protect myself…I didn't know he could be so…so…"

Dib squirmed a bit…

"I see…agent Mothman…we're an information network…I'm afraid there's nothing completely tangible we can offer, but I'm sure I can give you the location of several places where the alien won't be able to find you and that can provide security while we find a more effective way in which you can defend yourself…and of course, that can't be tracked back neither to you or us…"

"That's perfect…thank you agent Alien Doll…"

"You're welcome agent Mothman…I'm sending the data of various safe locations right now…"

Six floating screens opened in front of Dib, each of them showing the maps of different locations, within and outside the city limits, all of them seemed really inconspicuous…it was perfect…

"Mmm…I know where most of these places are…"

"I sent the nearest ones…but in case the situation becomes severely life-threatening, as you already make it sound…I'm sending you also the data of other locations which are pretty far away…"

Four screens saved the previous maps and displayed 2 more maps each, those locations were quite far away, and Dib only knew one of them…

"Interesting…I always thought that was a simple book-store…"

"You never know where we can be…you should know that by now agent Mothman…"

"Yeah…you're right…"

Dib downloaded all the maps to his laptop and saved them…

"Agent Mothman…I'm curious…why is this alien trying to kill you?"

Dib typed some more on his laptop and then thought of it a bit…

"…I'm not really sure…of course, I always ruined his plans for destroying Earth and stuff, but recently I found he's been spying my dad…it'd never been personal before…"

"Oh…professor Membrane??"

"Yeah…and, I can't seem to understand why is it that he's so interested in him…even if my disjointed mind does have a hypothesis that's becoming a bit prominent lately, but I don't quite like it…it makes me edgy…"

Dib paused to reboot his laptop for no apparent reason…

"Do go on…"

"Ah yes…first I thought it was only because of the technology, just another stupid way of destroying Earth…but then I found the spying cameras in my house, well, only the links, all the same…and it was rather spooky…"

The woman's eyes widened for a few seconds…

"He's been spying you and your father so closely??"

Dib shook his head, staring at his hands…

"No…not me…or my sister…only my dad…that's the spookiest part of all…and I don't understand why, and he wouldn't tell me either…then he said I was sticking my nose where I shouldn't…and then he tries to kill me, twice already!! So I don't think I can hide here any longer…he might even be watching this conversation…"

"Don't worry about that agent Mothman…we have our own ways of blocking Spyware…agent Mothman…I wish you luck, we wouldn't want to lose such an active agent as yourself…I'll send further information soon…"

Dib looked up to the screen once again…

"Thanks agent Alien Doll…good-bye…"

"Good-bye agent Mothman…"

-.-

Zim grinned, Dib was stupider than he thought if the feeble human thought he could escape so easily from the Irken, so much stupider…the last time had only been luck, and a lot of it, but this time, it was mandatory, Dib needed to die…

Zim's chair turned around to face the large window from which the Earth was visible in his space station…he already knew how to end the human's miserable existence…the only background sound was the humming of a particle accelerator stored in one of the dimensional cabinets…

After programming the station to maintain the accelerator active and producing positrons non-stop until further notice, Zim went for his cruiser and flew back to Earth, it was night already anyway, no one would notice if even during daytime they were stupid enough to not acknowledge it…

-.-

Membrane entered the hospital and began to walk down the long corridor that would take him to his son's room, he didn't know what to expect after those dreams, he didn't receive any kind of notice about Dib's condition changing, but he didn't know if he could trust reality anymore...the blinds were down, he didn't remember them being like that the last time he'd visited, maybe one of the nurses had lowered them as to not disturb his catatonic son with the constant come and go inside the hospital…his hands were shaking when he grabbed the doorknob and turned it slowly, pushing the door open…

But nothing could compare to his surprise when he saw the room was completely and utterly empty…as soon as his legs could move after the shock he ran to the nurses station and told them his son had disappeared…a nurse went with him to Dib's room and checked all the devices, they'd all being either disconnected or silenced, and the alarm had been turned off, he'd thought about it beforehand…

Suddenly the words 'an alien's been spying you' rang very symbolically inside Membrane's head…he told the nurse he wanted to know if Dib got back and to alert the police, his son was obviously still alive and quite conscious, but he was in no condition to be running around aimlessly…he started for the green house of his son's green foreign friend…no, of the alien…

-.-

_"Master, there's someone at the front door…" _

"What? Those useless gnomes!! I'll have to change them again!! Let the robot-parents handle it…"

The computer was silent for a little while…

_"But…master…it's the scientist that you studied the last time…" _

Zim's antennae perked up…

"What!? Really!?"

_"Yes…" _

Zim's lanky fingers drummed a bit over the console…

"How very convenient…computer!! Deactivate the robot-parents, I'll handle it…"

-.-

Membrane couldn't believe what he was doing, Dib was right, he never was one to go by his instincts or his feelings at all, but lately he couldn't believe a lot of things, and lately he'd not been himself…the green, disguised alien that opened the door didn't seem very pleased with his presence…

"What are you doing here!?"

Membrane hadn't seen the green kid in some years, apparently he'd grown, but the difference in height was still there...making herself notice only to annoy the Irken…

"I need to know what do you want…if what Dib said is right…you've messed up my life more than you can imagine…and I don't think I can take it anymore…"

"Is that so?"

Zim leaned a bit forward, grabbing Membrane's lab coat and pulling the human inside only to close the door and slam the scientist against it…he wasn't as tall as Membrane, but it was enough for him to open Membrane's lab coat and sneak his hands inside, wounding them around the scientist's skinny middle…he felt cold to the touch, how unusual, and he was shaking, Zim's head resting against Membrane's shoulder…and soon enough Membrane's hands were pressed against Zim's hips and slid up to rest on the small of his back and his forehead upon Zim's shoulder, he was…so doomed…

"You do realize you've just lost it, yes?"

Membrane nodded very lightly and as much as he could in that position…a clawed hand crawled its way up over Membrane's side, making him squirm a bit and latched itself to Membrane's hair…pulling his head back a bit, but not lifting it completely, Zim kissed his neck, and remained there breathing on his ear, he only wanted to say something…but something very important, so he dug his nails on the back of Membrane's neck to get his attention…the scientist groaned, Zim didn't know if it was out of pleasure or pain…but either was fine…

"I'm going to kill him…and don't even bother trying to stop me…do you really want to lose him? Won't you regret it?"

Membrane's hands clenched on Zim's clothes…

"…I don't know…"

Zim smiled, what else could be better than a confused human??? Possessiveness was the easiest way to demonstrate love…

"Then be ready to give absolutely everything up because now you belong to me…"

Zim's head tilted up a bit, only to allow his lips to hover near Membrane's…

"You've already messed up my life beyond repair…"

Membrane got closer…almost touching the alien, and his tongue tried to venture out and try to touch the green lips but…

"I like the sound of that…"

Zim had other plans and let his claw scratch its way down to Membrane's waist very slowly before letting go of him…the scientist collapsed to his knees in front of the alien…his hands holding Zim's legs loosely…

"What am I going to do?"

"Nothing…absolutely nothing…"

Zim petted Membrane's head…

-.-

_"And now, breaking news live from outside of the Membrane Labs, one of the scientists working there tells us that professor Membrane has disappeared, everything is a chaos in here, the scientists have gone crazy…and, well, apparently, the professor just stopped coming altogether, his son, Dib, has disappeared too, the only one left is his daughter, however, she doesn't know anything of their whereabouts…it's been 3 weeks already, and it just looks like they vanished into thin air…we'll keep on informing…back to the studio…" _

The boy sitting in a table at the far end at the back of the little restaurant turned to look slowly at the TV screen, his eyes widening a bit, the Membrane Labs did seem like they were falling into chaos…and the words the reporter had spoken only added to his anxiety…everything was happening too fast…Zim had obtained what he wanted, but he'd also lost sight of his mission…and Dib wasn't willing to stop him…not just yet…

"Damn…I'm running out of time…"


	9. Mondlicht

**AN:**_** well, there's finally an update, the full version of chapter nine...um, there will be more time between updates as it has been during the last months because I'm back to school and stuff...but ok, no one actually cares about that now, does anyone?? no, of course not...**_

_**there are also some minor editions to past chapters, but nothing really worth to look at...**_

_**well, enjoy!  
**_

_**Chapter Nine: Mondlicht**_

_**"**__**Es ist hoffnungslos,**_

_**Sinnlos,**_

_**Hilflos,**_

_**Sie sind gottlos..."**_

"**Los", by **_**Rammstein.**_

Three weeks had gone by already and there were still news and more news of how the Membrane Labs and thus the rest of the worthless world were going insane without the mighty 'Professor', Dib rolled his eyes as he changed channels only to find more of the same and finally turned off the little TV, sighing in frustration, why couldn't people just get over the fact that an alien had kidnapped the most important scientist on Earth ever, ah yes, because they were completely ignorant to that tiny little fact, and wouldn't believe it even if he hammered it into their brains and ears with all his might…THAT cruel was the rest of the world to Dib…how sad…

"Perfect! Sulky mode is setting in…"

But for once, instead of wallowing in the awareness that almost everyone hated him because he was paranoid, Dib's thoughts drifted towards the lack of attention he was getting from the alien, he'd been so bent on killing him before and then he was practically ignoring him, Zim had what he'd wanted since the beginning, that was true, but nothing had ever been so simple with him, of course the whole point of going into hiding had been to escape from Zim but, he'd not expected the alien to just sit quietly and let him live, and that's what worried him the most…

Zim was playing with both of them…but why play with your prey? What a sadist…Dib figured that Gaz would be buried under mountains of reporters by now, that made him smile slightly, but it was also a very probable possibility that she's scared them away already, literally…Dib shrugged the idea off, he was more worried of what could his dad be doing with the alien, the simple act of thinking about the combination sent shivers down his spine, it would have a disastrous outcome…on the other hand, Dib was convinced that Membrane had gone to Zim of his own accord because it just didn't seem logical to him that the alien could have such a powerful influence over any human being, let alone someone like Membrane…and yet again, he was contradicting himself…and Dib tended to underestimate the alien a bit too much…

-.-

Membrane was sitting, well, more like sprawled on the couch next to GIR watching the Scary Monkey Show, with GIR laughing from time to time completely randomly and insanely with no apparent reason, that's because even the robot's randomness seemed to have a reason to be, of which he wasn't sure at the moment…

"Why are we watching TV?"

"Because it's neat…"

"Yeah…it IS neat…but isn't there anything else besides the Scary Monkey Show?"

GIR turned to look at Membrane with teary eyes…

"You don't like it??"

The scientist almost laughed, a robot with true, though very childish, feelings, it felt kind of unreal and it was so not happening, he'd really lost it, but not when Zim had told him so, of course not, his mental decay had begun with his xenophilic fantasies…

"Of course I like it, the monkey is cool and everything…"

"Scary!! It's scary!! Say it!! SCA-RY…"

The robot interrupted him…

"Ok, ok, scary…but! There has to be something else that's good on TV…"

"Nope!!"

"Don't bother…you'll never convince him of changing channels…"

Zim snatched the remote from the robot's lap and changed channels randomly, stopping when he found the news…

"You have to do it yourself…"

"Hey!! I was watching that!!"

"Shut up GIR!!! Oh look…aren't those your labs? All those humans running around in sheer horror don't look so good…"

Membrane was laughing at the tantrum that GIR was throwing when Zim's words caught his attention and he turned to look at the TV's screen, but he had to go and sit right in front of the TV since he didn't know where his goggles had gone and he'd not wore normal glasses in so long so obviously he couldn't see a thing, as the screen came into focus he saw that his labs seemed a bit abandoned, the scientists left were trying to make things work but they seemed to be having a hard time trying to do so, he'd never seen them being so useless, he laughed…

The reporters that were still covering the issue were as desperate as the scientists, one of them said they'd been covering it for weeks now and that still professor Membrane was nowhere to be seen, Membrane himself rolled his eyes, weeks?? It hadn't felt that long to him…he'd been very busy and all this was beginning to look quite old, their constant babbling was getting to his nerves, why were people so dependant?? He walked back to the couch and sat there by GIR again…

"Let's watch the Scary Monkey Show again…"

Zim changed channels again and threw the remote for GIR to catch; he couldn't stop the devious grin that spread through his green features while he walked back to his underground lab…

-.-

Dib woke up suddenly, but he wasn't sweaty, altered or anything of the sort, inside his dreams he'd felt a presence with him in the spacious story of the abandoned building he was currently hiding in…apparently it was going to be one of those hideous nights during which he felt observed, up until then he'd always blamed Zim for those, but now that it was quite obvious what did Zim want and that he wasn't paying any kind of attention whatsoever to him, it just couldn't be…maybe he WAS crazy after all…

He glanced at his watch to convince himself of his insanity, it was 4:32…it didn't seem like he was getting any more sleep so he sat on the makeshift bed, crossing his legs, up until now he'd been able to guide himself with the maps he'd printed, but maybe it'd be harmless to check the ones he'd left in his lap, the little radio waves emitted by it wouldn't be detected by Zim, or he would just ignore them…

He was already outside the county, not so far away though, as he saw the farthest locations agent Alien Doll had provided, they kept moving to the north along the coastline, and he was getting kind of short of supplies…maybe it was a good idea to get moving again, a bigger city should be good…he'll wait until dawn…

-.-

Two levels of Zim's base had been completely adapted to Membrane's necessities, so it was as if he'd never left his home at all, he was going to spend a lot of time with the alien so why not make it as pleasant as possible…in each and every possible sense…

Membrane was taking a little nap in his new bed, inside his dream he felt a caress on his cheek and lanky fingers that lingered upon his skin, but that wasn't what woke him up, it was the sensation of a piercing gaze…Membrane leaned into the touch and slowly turned to lie on his back, presenting a very half-naked, inviting view of his whole self…and then he opened his eyes to see a blur of dark pink and green staring at him…

He gave the alien an amazingly tiny smile before suddenly wounding his arms around the alien's neck and squeezed him quite lovingly…whispering to him…

"Hi…"

Zim embraced him in return, if less emotionally…but the ex-scientist was content with only being held by the alien it seemed…

"Can you really see ANYTHING at all without those things you always wore??"

Membrane didn't really need to think to answer that, it was very obvious…

"Mmm…not much…but I don't really remember where did I leave my goggles…along with the rest of my clothes…"

Zim pushed away enough to look at the human…

"Are you telling me you don't remember anything about it!?"

"About it? About what?"

"IT!!"

"Ah…OooOOooh! No, I do remember THAT…what I don't remember is where I left all my things!!"

"Ok…I was getting worried…"

Membrane pulled the alien to him, even closer than before…

"No, I don't think I'd be able to forget about that, really…by the way…now that I'm here, what are you planning to do??"

"I don't think I'm free to do as I please just yet…not even with you, there's someone I still have to take care of…"

A long pause went by before Membrane spoke again…his grip on Zim had loosened a bit…

"…you're right…there's still Dib…"

"So you WILL miss him after all…"

"…it's kind of inevitable, isn't it? Missing him, I mean…"

"Maybe…"

"Well…"

Said the scientist grabbing Zim's head, turning it slowly so the alien was facing him…

"If you're going to kill my children, you better compensate me somehow…"

Zim stared at him for some seconds before a psychotic smile graced his green features…


	10. The Annihilation Issue Part One

AN:

something to take into consideration for this chapter: nothing is really what it seems

enjoy!

**_Chapter Ten: The Annihilation Issue Part One _**

**_"Help me get away from myself _**

**_I want to fuck you like an animal  
I want to feel you from the inside  
I want to fuck you like an animal  
my whole existence is flawed  
you get me closer to god" _**

**"Closer" _by Nine Inch Nails _**

****

"I hate it!! I hate it!! I HATE IT!!!"

The laptop, the cell-phone and the AC adapter went to slam themselves against the wall of the abandoned story, jealousy was such a beautiful thing it seemed, Dib crawled to his laptop to check if the hard disk wasn't damaged, he grabbed it from the screen, which was heavily cracked, but apparently the rest of it wasn't THAT damaged, he grabbed the hard disk and slammed the rest of it against the wall again…

"Fucking alien…"

"Wow…I didn't know you'd get so worked up over losing something you didn't even appreciate…"

Dib turned slowly to look at the alien; his expression looked sadly enraged, though it didn't seem like he was going to move from his sitting position next to the wall anytime soon…

"How did you find me?"

"How could I NOT find you?? You don't know how to hide at all human…"

"So…you always knew where I was…"

That added to the feeling of being ignored…

"Almost…I had better things to distract me and I couldn't come over and kill you spontaneously…because I have a plan that will not, absolutely WON'T fail this time…"

"Distract you? So you already have him? How much of a whore can you be if you sound so happy?"

Dib smiled a bit, and it obviously didn't please the alien because he approached Dib and pressed a laser-gun against Dib chest, right upon his heart.

"Don't compare me to your hideously disgusting species…"

"…shoot me, you said you wouldn't fail this time…not even I can survive a shot through the heart, you wouldn't have to worry about me anymore."

Zim sat next to him, the laser-gun away for the moment, he embraced Dib, stroking his hair, it felt a bit tangled, Dib grunted, being held by the alien wasn't precisely his idea of comfort.

"You're so pathetic…you're beautiful Dib-stink…"

And now the alien was slowly kissing his way up from his cheek to his temple…

"Stop it Zim! I know I'm not the one you want…"

Zim nuzzled his cheek against Dib's, he really seemed to be having lots of fun…

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because you wouldn't want to kill me as much as you seem to want to…even if you're a sadist…"

"You're so wrong…"

Zim's arms encircled Dib's middle, pressing him flush against the alien while he gave Dib's neck one long and slow lick, Dib dipped his head…

"C'mon…leave me alone…let go…"

It was funny, Dib was pushing Zim slightly away, but his heart didn't seem to be completely into, so he pushed the human to the floor, pinning him down with his weight, sliding his claws under Dib's shirt, nibbling and sucking his neck's skin…but Dib made the stupid mistakes of possessively embracing Zim in return and moaning, urging him to continue with his ministrations…it made the alien laugh deep inside his throat…

Dib regretted his actions the immediate second after, but letting his arms slide down Zim's back and grabbing fistfuls of the alien's clothes was no way of compensating, he grunted, he was annoyed at himself, tilting his head to the side, trying to distract himself so he didn't have to gasp out of lack of air and something else as Zim moved up again and licked the corner of his lips…

"I like you Dib; your body that is…it must be quite strong to have survived what I did to you…much worthier to destroy…"

But his will was only strong enough to muster some little words, silently against the lips of the alien; he was completely and utterly losing the battle.

"What…do you want from me?"

"Obviously not the same you do…"

"Ah…"

Dib managed to gather what little dignity he had left and lifted himself from the floor, leaning on his elbows, and even if Zim wasn't THAT heavy, it felt like a terrible pressure was upon him at the moment…he was being toyed with, again…

"Get off me…"

"So moody…"

Zim didn't like to be ordered around, so it took him a while to get off Dib, however, the human wasn't about to shut up just yet, he was confused, but understood everything that was happening at the same time, he just didn't know the reasons…

"Zim…why do you do this?? Why do you disturb me like this if you're going to kill me? Didn't you have enough with stealing my dad away from me??"

"It's quite simple…"

This time, the alien did get off of him…

"Why should I let you die with only one regret and only a single trauma?? I thought you would've understood that already…"

"…I do understand…"

"Well…that's just perfect Dib-human…"

Apparently Zim didn't plan on staying anyways, and he'd obviously not come to kill him just yet, but Dib didn't know how he'd gotten inside that place or out of it either…he only knew he was just as alone as he'd been before but more desperate.

-.-

Irkens don't sleep, everybody knew that, so Zim was bored out of his mind, lying on what could be called his bed, because Irkens do rest once in a while…it was night time, and he was still waiting for that stupid particle accelerator to finish creating positrons, apparently it will only take it some more hours, 4 at maximum…but he was getting lonely in his space station, he guessed Membrane would either be busy with some weird experiment, because he'd taken a liking to his laboratory or he would be asleep…

The computer's mainframe and AI brain were in his base on Earth, but still he could order it around from the station, so, in order to avoid a hideous self-destruction and to kill some time he went to sit at his control panel…

"Computer!! Open the communication link…"

_"Where to master?" _

"You know where!!"

Some seconds later…

"Hey you!!"

Basically nothing could be seen on the other side of the screen, only the faint light of a purplish moon entering through some really high window…so the figure couldn't really be seen either, but Zim knew who he was talking to, no need to actually 'see' it…the voice sounded groggy, apparently he'd been rudely awakened by the Irken…

"Huh? Zim!? What do you want this late? You could get me in trouble you moron…"

"And also out of them so don't complain"

"Mm, alright…either way, if I keep it quiet…I suppose no one will hear…what is it now?"

Zim scratched his chin thoughtfully for some seconds…

"I'm…bored…yes, bored…and kind of confused…"

"That's new…I thought you were the sure type…"

"I guess there's always a first time for anything…"

"Soo…what could be interesting enough to confuse you??"

Zim slouched in his chair, he felt like a rag-doll, or maybe an old sock would be a better analogy…

"A…human…I've been doing stuff with a human…"

A little silence stretched over the conversation, Zim slouched a bit more, he seemed to be very nervous and edgy, and it was kind of reasonable…

"Define…stuff…"

"You DON'T want to know…it's disgusting…but, very nice…at the same time…"

"Um…ok, I don't want my imagination wondering around…but then, why are you confused??"

"I don't know!! I mean…I don't know why I do it!! He's a human; I'm supposed to conquer them and destroy them, which I will STILL do, but…I'll spare him, somehow…"

Zim turned for a few seconds towards the control panel and shoot a laser beam towards some random point on earth, and then he returned to the conversation.

"That made me feel a little better"

"OoOk…anyhow, did you say he?"

"Yes…"

"Do you love him?"

"WHAT!?"

A heavy sigh was heard, but obviously out of frustration.

"Zim, I know your race doesn't like to think about 'feelings' because you think they are weaknesses and completely useless…and yes, they might complicate your existence a bit more than war does but, that doesn't mean you don't actually HAVE them, or so I want to think it…"

"But he doesn't deserve Zim's love!!"

"C'mon!! Then why would you spare him!?

"Maybe he's just a toy…"

"You're the only one that can tell."

Zim grunted, pulling at his antennae dramatically and then sprawling on the chair tiredly, whispering to himself.

"Do I love him?"

He looked to the screen out of the corner of his eye…

"Don't you have any light switch inside that cell??"

"No…we can't have a lot of things inside here, you know?"

"Jeje, you stupid slaves…"

"Zim, hurry up and tell me if you love him or not and let me sleep!! You would've gotten it out of your system by then and I suppose you'll feel better…"

Zim was too deep in thought to listen to what the other had just said, loving someone was going too far, or maybe not…a light snoring sound disturbed his thoughts.

"Hey!!! How dare you fall asleep!?!?"

"Ugh…Zim stop it! I suppose you're not bored anymore…"

Zim grinned.

"I wonder what would you say if I opened a wormhole right now and went over there?"

"…I'd accuse you of sexual harassment…"

"Eew!! But you wouldn't say the same if it was Lard Nar right??"

"Leave that matter alone…so…do you love him Zim?"

Zim got serious.

"…I don't know…"

"Mmm, aw well, it's almost dawn here so, I'd be very grateful if you let me sleep at least some few minutes…you only need to think about it…"

"Maybe…"

"Good-bye then Zim"

"Yeah…"

The link got interrupted and was replaced with a lot of static, Zim wasn't bored anymore or lonely, but he did was confused, it was true that Irkens don't like to think about feelings at all, but he'd found himself hating or paying too much attention to a lot of people during his life so it could only make sense that they had them in the end…

But he'd never thought he'd love someone because no one had ever loved him, but that didn't depress him, he liked to think of it as being 'feared' by everyone, and of course that had never been the case, and who the hell was he trying to trick, of course he loved the human!!

_"Master! The cannon is ready…" _

Zim turned to face the control panel, apparently the levels of positrons were finally acceptable and the cannon could be fired a total of 10 times, better to have more than necessary, right?

-.-

Dib was torn between the options, he could either move to another city again in a feeble attempt to hide or he could return home already, either way the alien would know where he was…for the time being he'd try not to kill himself, the alien seemed to have taken that matter into account already…


	11. Irken Babies, Human Babies

_**AN: this time, there's nothing to say, enjoy! oO**  
_

_"Flesh wound, flesh wound_

_With medication it will fade_

_Shoud I assume_

_That someone hears me when I pray?_

_Love, full of hate_

_Don't you love how I pray?"_

_'Throw Me Away' by KoRn_

* * *

Zim had gone back to the base, he finally had the right amount of positrons (actually, an exceeding number) to kill Dib, he had a human he was afraid of falling in love with but somehow still wanted to and that just happened to be Dib's father, he had an author whose imagination had just come back from a horribly long vacation and had brought with them some horrendously weird ideas, but still, he didn't feel the impulse to kill Dib...he was getting worried.

He thought that maybe his base could inspire him...but he also thought, as soon as he closed the door, that the father of the person he wanted to kill, couldn't possibly be of any inspiration...

He took off his disguise and grabbed the trash-can elevator to the level where Membrane was, he heard the sound of the shower, the water falling and it kind of soothed him...how ironic, or maybe it wasn't the water, but who was getting completely and utterly drenched by it. He walked across the level and got near to the shower, it was very similar to the one that Zim used when he covered himself with glue so he didn't get all burned by the water, but it wasn't completely transparent, it was more like blurry.

Membrane wasn't really aware that he had company until he felt a lanky pair of arms embrace him from behind and he froze at first, relaxing soon afterwards, his hands were reluctant to hold Zim's so he settled them on the cristal wall of the shower, Zim's hands roamed over Membrane's skin and then the alien yanked him down almost violently as he settled against the opposite wall, with Membrane sitting between his legs and barely managing not to fall in the process, Zim pressed his forehead against Membrane's shoulder, resting his head there, he was tired...the water kept running.

"Are you alright?"

"I don't know..."

A long pause had stretched out before Zim answered, Membrane felt the alien was upset, and as much as he wanted to know, he wasn't one to force people to speak if they didn't want to...and still, curiosity was killing him.

"What's wrong?"

Zim shook his head softly, one of his hands sliding its way up, and resting on Membrane's cheek while the alien sighed, Membrane felt his skin burning with the same fire he'd felt many times before and gasped quietly, and it just didn't seem to be the time for it...

"I don't feel like killing Dib anymore..."

Anyone would've thought that Membrane should be happy when hearing this, but he knew better, he couldn't say he hated the fact but he also knew that it wasn't good to hope for things that just wouldn't happen, it was specially necessary to abandon all hope when it came down to Zim, because the irrational joy that any normal father would have felt when knowing such thing was only that, irrational...

Zim turned slighty and licked the back of Membrane's earlobe, he could feel the vibrations of the scientist's body while he shuddered.

"I...don't know that to say to you..."

Zim held him tighter, he liked to hear how Membrane's breath became somehow erratic and caught in his throat with only the little licks and bites he gave to his neck and shoulder (yeah, he'd developed some kind of shoulder fetish), so the damn prisoner had been right, he really loved the human beyond all reason.

When his mind went back to his body, he had the scientist half-lying under him on the shower floor, reclining on an elbow and with his other arm wound around Zim's neck, his head thrown back...Zim suddenly had an idea, he leaned forward, sliding his hands down Membrane's back, along his hips and grabbing his thighs, sinking his nails in the flesh, wanting to make it bleed while he whispered on the dazed human's ear.

"I didn't really expect an answer. Membrane...have you ever been fucked senseless?"

-.-

Zim heard the rustling of fabric and a small grunt and turned away from the huge window showing Earth's round form, he saw Membrane move in the bed that Zim had expanded so he could fit, it was really near to the control panel, apparently the scientist was only dreaming, Zim was kind of nervous, his life had changed so much in so little time, he'd spent more than a hundred years conquering, destroying, assasinating, invading, etc, and he couldn't say he wasn't beginning to miss that but...a human had him entranced...a human had wrapped him in a reality of despair and so much confussion, that he seemed to not be able to live without anymore.

"Computer!!"

"Yeeaaah??"

"Computer...you should really run a check-up on your AI brain...anyhow, locate the Dib-human..."

"Yes master...somehow he made it to Cleveland..."

"Ooooh...so nothing I care about will be destroyed, perfect! Computer!! Prepare the positron cannon..."

"Ok...but master, didn't you like Nine Inch Nails??"

"Um...doesn't matter!!"

"I thought you liked them..."

"Mmm, I guess I could always clone them...yeah, computer!! Continue preparing the cannon!!"

The giant cannon began to move, fixating coordinates and warming up, Zim really wasn't in any hurry, he could wait as long as needed, and it wasn't long...

-.- Half an hour later -.-

"Master...the cannon is ready, the positron count addecuate to fire 303 times as least and coordinates are confirmed, errors corrected according to Earth's gravity and curvature and to the target's movement, error margin: 0.00000001..."

"Perfect!! Fire it at once!! I want immediate confirmation after the target's annihilation..."

"Yes master..."

The computer shoot the cannon and the ray of particles began to curve itself because of the Earth's gravity, Zim had some parts of it holographicaly amplified, the sub-atomic anti-particles were getting elongated while they travelled and penetrated into the Earth's atmosphere, the gamma ray blast should be visible immediately, Zim told the computer to cover the station with with anti-radiation shields, he knew he could tolerate any kind of radiation himself but his human couldn't, the holograms didn't follow the ray inside the atmosphere so he couldn't see Dib when he was destroyed but he saw the gamma blast...Zim smiled...

"First try missed..."

"Damn!! Computer, try again!!"

And the sequence began again, the ray of sub-atomic anti-particles curving and penetrating the atmosphere, and then, another blast, this time...it didn't miss...

"Annihilation confirmed, target obliterated...perimeter of destruction because of gamma ray blast: 4000 kilometers squared...particles dissipating rapidly..."

"Finally...I wonder, why didn't I think of this from the beginning??"

AN: I suppose that I can only say that the damage perimeter is that little because it was a 'controlled' shot oO

-.-

"Gla...sses??"

The cause of his confussion had just woke up...

"I told GIR to get them for you...though I think laser surgery would be better..."

Membrane put them on and turned to look at the green alien, the focus was perfect, actually much better than any glasses he'd wore before, he didn't like the idea of surgery, he liked his glasses!!

"How did you know the...?"

"It's easier than I thought...to hack into human databases..."

"Ah...um...come here, please?"

Zim shifted in his chair, he grabbed a handful of his uniform, his knuckles beginning to turn a lighter shade of green, he let go and saw his fingers were trembling and he wondered why he'd not wore his gloves...and then he remembered that if he'd done so, he wouldn't have been able to really feel the pale skin of a certain human...but damn, it didn't have why to be so hard!!

"I...I have to tell you something..."

"...I'm listening..."

Zim walked slowly towards the bed and sat on the edge, Membrane stretched a hand to touch the alien and pull him near but Zim grabbed it instead and just held it there between them. The contrast of mint green and nearly paper-white pale skin was nice and made Membrane wonder...

"It's done...Dib's...dead..."

"...oh...my God, oh my God..."

Membrane moved from his sitting position and crawled next to Zim, he wasn't in shock, he wasn't horrified but he was very sad, he didn't think he'd feel like that, he'd thought he'd prepared his mind and soul for it but it was obvious he hadn't, he felt something crumble inside him and he pressed his forehead against Zim's back since the alien wasn't facing him and wound his arms around the alien's middle, he'd told himself he wouldn't cry, wouldn't whine, wouldn't complain but he couldn't stop the tears from silently rolling down his cheeks, he squeezed Zim tighter...

"Aaww..."

Zim covered his face with a hand and stroke Membrane's head with the other, he didn't feel like moving and his human seemed to be too engrossed in crying and shaking, he'd wait until none of them both were so tense, it really didn't turn out as he planned...

-.-

Several days had gone by and Membrane's mood seemed to improve just a little, a tiny bit, he still wasn't as interested in Zim's lab as he'd previously been and that meant his mind hadn't settled just yet, Zim didn't worry too much, he knew his human wasn't the type to go and kill himself over stupid reasons...he was new to all this 'comforting' thing but it seemed like he was talented at it because Membrane didn't refuse ANY of his attentions...

After a week and some days more Zim was in his lab doing stuff, planning stuff to destroy humanity (why did he still planned more stuff when he'd developed a positron ray cannon that could obliterate all humanity with only minimum adaptations was beyond all reasonable explanations but c'mon, it's Zim) when Membrane appeared, apparently he'd managed to find normal human clothes somewhere and didn't seem as broken anymore...

"What are you doing?"

Zim's eyes widened, he turned around and decided that...he looked like an over-grown Dib somehow...but he ignored the idea quickly, he didn't approach, he wanted to see Membrane's attitude, to see if he'd finally got over it...

"The usual...trying to end humanity..."

"Oh..."

Membrane moved towards another control panel, he'd become used to the Irken's base, and knew how it worked and everything, that would've alarmed any other alien, but Zim knew Membrane just wouldn't betray him...the alien was a bit disappointed by Membrane's coldness but he supposed it was part of the process, so he went back to his own stuff...and quickly, all the sound that could be heard was the buzzing of machines and the normal sounds of them experimenting with stuff.

Suddenly, Membrane slammed a crystal flask containing something goey against the panel, and it was a miracle the flask didn't break, it made Zim jump a little and turn slowly to look at the scientist with suspicious eyes...Membrane didn't turn just yet...

"Zim..."

"Yeah?..."

Membrane turned around, holding the unbroken flask on one hand, the other one hung limp by his side, he moved aside some other artifacts and things that were on the panel and sat upon it, Zim kept watching him intently, he wouldn't interrupt a thing his human had to say, he would only watch.

"I think...I want a baby..."

Zim...nearly fell over...

"What the FUCK!?"

Membrane smiled a bit, he'd thought Zim would be shocked but not that much...it was funny.

"Exactly what you heard."

Zim was still in shock but managed to answer.

"B-b-but...how?? It-it's not possible...the species, the gender, t-th-the...why!? Oh no, don't tell me it has to do with Dib!?"

Membrane shifted a bit, the panel didn't make a sound at the weight moving upon it.

"Well...you see, losing Dib did make me VERY, seriously sad, but then I realized that, I'd never had a kid in my life, you know that Dib was only my creation, he carried my genes but he literally, had no 'mother'...and the same with Gaz..."

'He's serious', thought Zim...

"W-well, do you at least mind telling me HOW?"

"I don't know, you're the alien, you're the ones who always think of weird ways of making interspecies experiments, not us..."

Zim was beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, Membrane's brain had just melted.

"YOU..want ME, to think HOW!? Are you insane!? Irkens don't HAVE babies!!"

"No I'm not, use your imagination!!"

"I have no imagination!!

"Yeah right..."

Zim began to feel TOO dizzy.

"I think...I don't feel so good.."

"Zim??"

"Wha...?"

Zim saw the world get really black before he fell to the ground and Membrane's voice vanished into some alternate reality where stinking humans didn't want to have babies with Irkens...


	12. SEQUEL PREVIEW

**AN: EHEM! just as the title implies, this is a preview of the 1st chapter of the sequel (the FULL version of which is already up ^^, it's called Operation Paranoia II: A Sequel). Em, yes, I was finally convinced of writing a sequel, it had been in my mind for a few months but I didn't really deem it necessary, now it does seem to be so.**

**I re-read Paranoia and re-watched Invader Zim, helped me remember lots of things and refreshed my Zim-knowledge in fact haha. Also, my writing style and synthaxis have improved, of course the description has too and I'm rambling again as always ^^, well, I hope you do enjoy this preview cause the full chapter will be up soon I hope.**

**Of course I still encourage the 'NO FLAMING!' ideology, please OBEY ¬¬.**

**Thanks & Enjoy! R&R! ^^**

-.-

They'd gone over it dozens if not hundreds of times by then, probably some two or three Earth years had gone by and they were still orbiting the planet inside Zim's space station; going back and forth between the station and the planet. But still, they didn't know what to do with Membrane's body so he could set off into space with Zim, a few modifications had been made to the space station itself, namely protecting it with anti-radiation/anti-particles shields made of silver/titanium alloy permanently and changing its energy source to nuclear fusion (in a level humans couldn't still achieve, not even with Membrane's years of experimenting), but the question remained, what to do with Membrane's body?

Upon further analysis of Membrane's body, Zim discovered that he wasn't 100% organic, his CNS was indeed protected from radiation and trauma in general by a neural case (inside his skull not instead) made of an alloy of chromium and titanium, his whole nervous network had been replaced with fibres of a new BSCCO-based, high-temperature superconductor he'd developed himself, however, the rest of his organs (vital and non-vital) had been left without protection.

'Why?', Zim wondered; he thought of the possibilities and he didn't like them very much, on the one hand Membrane's lifespan was limited compared to his own and his body wouldn't be able to take it either without protection, adding to it the fact that he didn't quite know how old the human was but he could estimate; on the other hand he knew that Irk and Vort had technology that could help him enormously with this particular issue, but if he wanted top-notch technology he'd have to go to Meekrob, the Irken Empire's sworn enemy, Meekrob; Vort was only his 2nd option and as he'd said before, it was not only Membrane's mind/brain he wanted...

So, in the end, the question remained unanswered (but with possible solutions), what to do with Membrane's body?

-.-

**AN2: Anything to say?  
**

**AN3: If you want to know what BSCCO is please ask Wikipedia ^^.**


End file.
